1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement in a coaxial cable connector plug which is connected to the end of a length of coaxial cable, and a method of making the same.
2. Related Arts
Referring to FIG. 21, a multi-connector 10 comprises low-frequency and high-frequency connector sections both packaged in a common casing. The coaxial connector plug 11 constitutes the high-frequency connector section, which can be improved according to the present invention.
The coaxial connector plug 11 has a connector body 14 (see FIG. 21) press-fitted in its plug case 12. A rectangular connector base 15 is applied to the coaxial connector plug 11 for connection to an associated apparatus.
The connector base 15 has an insertion hole 16 made therein. The insertion hole 16 is somewhat larger than the plug-insertion hole 13 of the plug case 12. The insertion hole 16 of the connector base 15 is center-aligned with the plug-insertion hole 13 of the coaxial connector plug 11, and the contact end of the connector body 14 is allowed to project in the insertion hole 16 of the connector base 15.
An engagement sleeve 17 is press-fitted in the plug-insertion hole 13 of the plug case 12. As shown in FIG. 23, the engagement sleeve 17 is circular, and the diameter of the cylindrical space is changed to define different sections as follows: an engagement sleeve section 18 of inner diameter xe2x80x9cd1xe2x80x9d extends a distance xe2x80x9cL1xe2x80x9d from one end of the engagement sleeve 17; a guide sleeve section 19 of inner diameter xe2x80x9cd2xe2x80x9d (=xe2x80x9cd1xe2x80x9d) extends a distance xe2x80x9cL2xe2x80x9d from the other end of the engagement sleeve 17; and a slope-and-plateau section 20 of inner diameter xe2x80x9cd3xe2x80x9d ( less than xe2x80x9cd1xe2x80x9d) is formed in the transition from the guide sleeve section 19 to the engagement sleeve section 18. The slope-and-plateau section 20 has its conical surface 21 diverging toward the guide sleeve section 19.
As shown in FIG. 22, the connector body 14 has its cylindrical insulator 24 enclosed with a metal holder 25. The cylindrical insulator 24 has a pin 23 inserted at its center, and the cylindrical insulator 24 is fixed to the base 22.
The metal holder 25 comprises an open-worked bottom section 26, two split semi-cylindrical sections 27 integrally connected to the bottom section 26, and converging spears 29A and 29B integrally connected to the split semi-cylindrical sections 27. The bottom fingers 26 grip the insulator 24, and the converging spears 29A and 29B are arranged circularly to defame a circular space for accommodating an antenna rod (not shown), which is used in transmitting and receiving wireless signals of high frequency.
Each semi-cylindrical section 27 has a lance 30 or 31 cut and raised therefrom. The coaxial cable 32 is fixed to the open-worked bottom section 26 by a fastening member 33. The core conductor of the coaxial cable 32 is connected to the pin 23, and the outer shield of the coaxial cable 32 is connected to the metal holder 25.
As described above, the engagement sleeve 17 is fixed in the coaxial connector plug 11. The connector body 14 is inserted in the insertion hole 13 of the coaxial connector plug 11, and in the engagement sleeve 17, allowing the lances 33, 31 to be yieldingly bent when passing through the slope-and-plateau transition 20 of inner diameter xe2x80x9cd3xe2x80x9d, and then allowing the lances 30 and 31 to return to their stress-free positions when appearing in the engagement section 18 of inner diameter xe2x80x9cd1xe2x80x9d. Thus, the lances 30 and 31 are caught by the slope-and-plateau transition 20 so that the lances 30 and 31 may prevent the connector body 14 from being removed from the coaxial connector plug 11.
As described above, the lances 30 and 31 are cut and raised from the semi-cylindrical sections 27, thus leaving openings thereon to allow leakage of high-frequency electromagnetic wave from the openings of the semi-cylindrical sections 27. Accordingly the shielding effect is lowered. Also, disadvantageously once the connector body 14 has been inserted into the engagement sleeve 17, it cannot be pulled out without destroying the connector body 14. Therefore, the connector body 14 cannot be reused.
One object of the present invention is to provide a coaxial cable connector plug which is free of the defects as described above.
To attain this object a coaxial cable connector plug comprising a connector body having the end of a coaxial cable fixed therein and a housing having an insertion hole to accommodate the connector body. According to the present invention, the housing has a cantilever-like engagement nail extending in the insertion hole, thereby permitting the connector body to be caught in the insertion hole.
The cantilever-like engagement nail extends toward the inlet of the housing. The housing has a catch hole made in the vicinity of the inlet of the housing, whereby a wedge-like retainer may be caught by a detent when inserted into the space between the connector body and the floor of the housing, thereby fixedly holding the coaxial cable. The housing also has guide slots made in the opposite walls of the housing. The connector body is fixedly held in the housing by allowing the cantilever-like nail and the wedge-like retainer to catch selected parts (i.e., shoulders) of the connector body.
The connector body comprises: a shelled assembly comprising an insulator member having a contact piece inserted into its center hole, the contact piece being connected to the core conductor of the coaxial cable, and a metal shell enclosing the insulator member. A metal sleeve fitted on the coaxial cable makes an electric connection between the outer conductor of the coaxial cable and the metal shell. The connector body is caught by the transition formed from the metal sleeve to the metal shell by the cantilever-like nail. The transition formed from the metal sleeve to the metal shell is defamed to be a conical surface. With the above-described arrangement the electric shielding effect is substantially improved, and the connector body can be reused after bing removed from the connector plug housing.
A method of making a coaxial cable connector plug according to the present invention comprises preparing a cylindrical assembly comprising a metal hollow cylinder shell having an insulator cylinder press-fitted therein, and a length of coaxial cable having a contact piece crimped on its core conductor. The contact piece and subsequent cable length of the coaxial cable is inserted into the cylindrical assembly, and the subsequent cable length-and-overlying cylindrical part is inserted into a metal sleeve to provide a connector body. The connector body is inserted into a housing, and a wedge-like retainer is inserted into the space left between the connector body and the housing floor.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be understood from the following description of a coaxial cable connector plug according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, which is shown in accompanying drawings: